Daniel Parker built the first settlement in the area just south of the lagoons near what is now the intersection of Hopkins Road and Lake Shore Boulevard.
As early as the 1870s, there were plans to dredge out the Marsh basin and construct a large inland harbor.
By the turn of the 20th century, there even was talk of creating a steel manufacturing complex at this location. Major players in the steel, coal, and rail industries were involved, and those plans might have been realized had Peter Hitchcock not put a stop to them. For reasons unknown, he wouldn’t sell his 52-acres of property. His decision became known as “Hitchcock’s Holdup” and as a result, the steel plant was built in Lorain instead.
In the 1920s, a well-heeled group of Clevelanders formed the Mentor Harbor Club with the goal of creating the “Venice of the North” which would feature luxury homes with their own private docks as well as an adjoining private golf course. The harbor was dredged, the dock walls were put in place, and construction even began on a few of the homes. Over a million dollars were invested into the project until the stock market crash of 1929 halted development. A portion of the property became the Mentor Harbor Yacht Club; the remainder eventually became the Mentor Lagoons Marina which changed hands numerous times through the years…and over the years, other schemes were dreamed up as well including plans for a boatel and a harness racing track.
After years of private ownership, the property was acquired by the City of Mentor in the 1990s. The 450-acre parcel features areas of marsh, hardwood forest and wild beach and is a popular destination for hikers, bikers, boaters and birdwatchers.
Learn about other waypoints on the Mentor History Trail.